Subscribe to this blog

Follow by Email

The Great Love Story of Abelard and Heloise

"Whenever they speak of great men, they will remember Peter Abelard" Heloise

"If I am remembered, it will be for this: that I was loved by Heloise" Abelard

The tragic love story of Heloise and Abelard is one of history's most romantic love stories. It is the story of 12th century theologian and philosopher Abelard and the unabiding love for his student, twenty years his junior, Heloise.

As the story goes, nineteen year old Heloise is questioning human existence. For she is a truth-seeker and student of life and great abiding knowledge. At this time, only one man could become her teacher, Pierre (Peter) Abelard, twenty years her senior. Abelard is a well-known theologian and philosopher in 12th century Paris, France. He becomes her teacher and they discover mutual spiritual and physical desires metered by her intelligence and wit. They fall deeply in love, against all the odds.

When Heloise tells him she is pregnant, they flee to Brittany where Abelard was born. Heloise's cousin, Canon Fulbert arranges a secret marriage but shortly after they are wed, Fulbert's plot to ruin Abelard and keep Heloise for himself is discovered. Wanting only her safety, Heloise leaves for a convent in Argenteuil. Sadly, for Abelard it is too late and he is brutally attacked in Paris. As a result, Abelard believes himself incapable of continuing teaching. Heloise and Abelard agree to take Holy Orders as a monk and a nun. Heloise must give up her child, knowing that she will never see her again.

In spite of their separation they corresponded for twenty years. There letters survive and their love for one another is evident throughout. A chance meeting comes for them both years later in Paris and once they see each other, they know they have never stopped loving each other. They promise to remain, "Forever One."

They never meet again but their love endures within their love letters and in illuminated manuscripts, engravings, and paintings.

Here is a link to an audio player containing audio letters of all seven of their correspondence. So, if you would like to 'listen' to their words they wrote each other, audio love letters of Heloise and Abelard

Abelard and Heloise tapestry by Elio Mazzi, 1915

Heloise and Abelard on a terrace attributed to Charles Lock Eastlake

Heloise and Abelard Discovered by Fulbert

by Achille Deveria

Abelard and his pupil Heloise by Edmund Blair Leighton, 1882

Stars turn in the sky, the moon reddens the night,And dull is the star which ought to be my guide.But if my star should rise and turn back the dark,My mind will no longer know the darkness of grief.You are my day star, my Lucifer:Without you even light is night to me,And with you even night is splendid light.

Farewell,
my star, whose splendor never wanes. Farewell, my highest hope, in whom
alone I am well pleased, whom I never need bring back to mind since you
never fade from mind. Farewell.(Letter 20, 'The Man to the Woman,' in the Lost Love Letters of Abelard & Heloise)

The Farewell of Abelard and Héloïse Angelica
Kauffman 1780

The star of joyous face is dulledunder the heart's dark cloud. the laughter from my lipsgrows cold-- bereft of her, my song of joy, I must lament: she who was near me is hidden now,in whom my heart's strength flowers,(in whom) all of me dwells.

In the dance of Love she shinesbeyond the rest,she whose name is radiantwith the light of Helios, who serves as mirror for the earth--I worship her,I long only to look on herin this world!

I lament my day to day loneliness,I who with the strength of night's compliantnessstole many a kissfrom lips dewy with cinnamon--and still her scent of cassia piercesmy heart's home!

Yet she, without a hope for solace,wastes away,the flower of her youth grows dry--if only this great gulf of spacewere done away with,that this partingmight grant rights which are secureto those who are joined!Abelard, 'Dull Is The Star'(This Latin poem, 'Hebet sidus laeti visus,' contains a pun on Heloise's name--Helios--in the second stanza.)

Get link

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Google+

Email

Other Apps

Comments

Hello Kimberly, What a lovely story, I'm surprised that Elizabeth Chadwick hasn't picked up on it an written a novel, maybe I should write a medieval story!Thank you for sharing this and I will certaintly look into it deeper.

Hi Kevin, I'm so glad you enjoyed the story. I've always loved it. Funny you should mention Elizabeth Chadwick, one of my favorite writers. For whatever reasons her interests are elsewhere. I would like to see what you could do with a medieval story! It would be great. Thanks so much for commenting.

Popular posts from this blog

Princess Elizabeth Tudor miniature by Nicholas Hilliard
On 18 March 1554 Princess Elizabeth was imprisoned in The Bell Tower at The Tower of London by order of her half sister and ruling Queen of England, Mary I (Tudor) or (Bloody Mary) and as a result of The Wyatt Rebellion. Mary was determined to turn back the clock on twenty years of religious reform and make England a Catholic nation again. Elizabeth conformed outwardly to the Catholic faith. But she could not distance herself too much from her Protestant supporters. When Sir Thomas Wyatt led a rebellion in January 1554, matters came to an unpleasant impasse. Wyatt had written to Elizabeth that he intended to overthrow Mary but his letter was intercepted, as was a letter from de Noailles to the king of France. His letter implied that Elizabeth knew of the revolt in advance, and repeated rumors that she was off gathering armed supporters. The government was able to suppress the rebellion before it spread very far and Wyatt was arre…

I am a writer and Independent scholar of Victorian studies. I research the personal life of Alfred Lord Tennyson, his wife and sons. Also, I am interested in the life of pioneering photographer Julia Margaret Cameron and her sitters.
My article on May Prinsep was published as part of the Julia Margaret Cameron Bicentenary Conference, University of Portsmouth, UK. I have given talks on Alfred Lord Tennyson in the US and UK. My articles on Alfred Lord Tennyson have been published on various blog sites as well.
I’ve written guest post articles on author websites from notable nineteenth century authors ranging from: The Bronte Sisters to Jane Austen and those fascinating Pre-Raphaelite artists and muses.